This invention relates to knives and more particularly to knives adapted to be folded. This invention specifically involves folding knives used in hunting and fishing or other such activities in which the knife blade is subject to severe stress during use.
Heretofore folding knives have for the most part included the combination of a metal blade sandwiched between a pair of metal or plastic bolsters which are connected to a suitable handle. A single pivot pin has held the bolsters in place and allowed the blade to fold between the bolsters when the knife is closed. Exemplary of the prior art are the folding knives disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,439,507 to Delsing, U.S. Pat. No. 1,994,215 to Gaunt and U.S. Pat. No. 2,502,404 to Allen.
Those skilled in the art are aware that when the knife is used this foregoing arrangement of the knife components results in the transfer of undesirable lateral forces acting on the blade to the pivot pin joint thereby tending to force the bolsters apart and detrimentally affecting the functioning of the knife. This condition is particularly apparent when the knife is used to cut through tough substances such as the bones and hides of animals.
The disadvantages of the prior art have been overcome by the present invention as will be described hereinafter.